Bike Thief and their anti-folk anthems seem to have appeared out of thin air. The group relocated to Portland last summer and has since been weaving complex and intimate songs at a handful of venues and working up to their debut release, Ghost of Providence. The release captures sounds of deterioration and rejuvenation through crooning vocals and stirring string movements nuanced by post-rock undertones and lyrical hooks. Songs range from the eerie ballads such as, Battles and Perfect Demise to folk rock gems like Ghost of Providence pt. 1 and Look Up culminating with Ghost of Providence pt. 2, a powerful and ethereal closer which helps to frame the collection and draws the album to a close. Ghost of Providence is now available for stream and download on Bike Thief’s bandcamp page. Check it out and keep an eye out for a release show in the coming months. – Benjamin Toledo
